Bag turning and cleaning machine



Feb. 25, 1930. J. W.--KITTREDGE 1,748,775

BAG TURNING AN]? CLEANING MACHINE Filed Nov. 6, 1925' 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 rqtfeqforf A): fiimbm Feb. 25, 1930.

J. w. KITTREDGE BAG TL IRNI NG AND CLEANING MACHINE 'Filed Nov. 6, 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 I attgzmqg -.Feb. 25, 1930. J. w. KITTREDGE 1,748,775

BAG TURNING AND CLEANING MACHINE Filed NOV. 6, 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 I A38 mg 5 E]. lllHlHJlll III I ll IIHIH v ATTORNEYS Feb. 25, 1930. J. w. KITTREDGE BAG TURNING AND CLEANING MACHINE Filed Nov. 6, 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 m. a We Feb. 25', 1930.

t J. W. KITTREDGE BAG TURNING AND CLEANING MACHINE Filed Nov. 6, 1925 BSheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 25, 1930. J. w. KITTREDGE 1,743,775

BAG TURNING AND CLEANING MACHINE Filed Nov.- 6. 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Feb. 25, 1930. J, w, KITTREDGE 1,748,775

BAG TURNING AND CLEANING MACHINE F iled Nov. 6, 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Feb. 25, 1930 w, KITTREDGE 1,748,775

BAG TURNING AND CLEANINGMACHINE Filed NOV. 6, 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR A).

' ATTORNEYS Patented F eh. i 25, i 1930 res Generically this invention relates tobag-- cleaning 'machines, but it more especially comprehends the type adaptable to automatically turn and clean bags having extraneous material adhering to the inside, and 'to clean without turning those having such material adhering to the outside. A primaryobjectof this invention is to eliminate all chains and other conveying means around which strings and the fraying edges; ofbags might hang, and to convey the bags principally by air blast and gravita tion; to take the bags from a lowv position where they can-be placed withease of'handling randv whence they can be easily fed to the machine; to-draw them by air blast in' an upward direction into a; cleaning chambl','l11d to discharge them therefrom in an elevatedposition, whence they descend by gravity over other cleaning means.

An important object of this inventionis the provision of. a mouthpiece holdingmeans automaticallyv adjustable to the mouths of different sized bags for initially holding the bag to effect its delivery to the machine either turned or unturned depending upon'the mannerof feed to the said holding means,- and releasable to permit travel of the bag through a the machine V .Anotherob'iect of this invention is the provision of an air blast means for shaking, f and flapping the. free end of theibag as" it is initially held bythe mouth piece or .hold-,

ing means, and additional means for holding I the forward end of'the bag to permit similar air blast treatmentof the other end after its release by the initial holding means, andrei leasable to permit travel of the bag through the remaining cleaning" mechanism.

, Another object of this invention is the provision of means for'simultaneously brush bag, vibrating the bag tabricand drawing I ing one side of the bag, rapidly vibrating the aag fabric and drawing air through the fabric'toward the side being brushed;

for then brushing the. opposite side of the air through it in asimilar manner; and for conveying the bags over the brushmg, v1- brating, and suction means n an approxi-v JOHN w crrrnnnen, or ATLANT QGETO GIA CLEANING MACHINE e, 1925. Serial No. 67,305.

mately continuous stream to insure a maxi- V mum of cleaning to each bag.

. Still another object of this invention is the provision of amachine for cleaning bags, designed to subject each bag tora pluralityof cleaning operations asit is conveyed therethrough, the cleaning mechanism including an air blast chamber and a plurality of cleaning or brushing units associated with suction means, such means being yieldableso as to prevent damage to the machine or to the bags should solid substances be present'dur chinepartly in elevation and partly section.

F ig.- 4 is a central vertical section taken r 2 is a side elevation of themachine c on the line i -4 of Fig. showing the -posi- I tion of the turned bag; I 5 is asimilar view to Fig. 4 and show .ingthe position of an unturned bag and one of the contact fingers inoperative position; Fig. 6 a's ide'detail elevation of the bell crank levers and a portion of the frame,.with parts broken away; to show the sides and brakes in the interior; t Fig: 7 is a front elevation of themou the piece in collapsed position, andlshowing in outline themannerofputting a bag over the mouthpiece when it, is desired to turn the bag F g. 8 1321 similar vlew toFig. 7,-showing I the mouthpiece in expanded position holdingthebag. i h Fig. 9's a'similar View to Figs, 7 and 8, showing in outline the manner of putting a bag over themouth piece when it is desired to clean the .bag without turning. I

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the valve mechanism. V

Fig. 11 is a vertical section of the brushes and speed control rings.

In the illustrated embodiment charcterizing this invention there is shown the main supporting frames 1 and 2 provided with suitable bearings in which are mounted a plu rality of longitudinal shafts including a main driving shaft 3, and principal auxiliary shafts 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, interconnected by gearing comprising gear wheel 9 suitably locked on main drive shaft 3 and adapted to mesh with gear 10 mounted on shaft 5. Also mounted on shaft 5 adjacent thereto is pinion 11 adapted to mesh with gear wheel 12 suitably locked on shaft 4 and large gear wheel 13 mounted and securely locked to shaft 6 which is adapted to mesh with gear wheel 14 mounted on and secured to shaft 7 which meshes with gear wheel 15 carried by and secured to shaft 8.

The frame 2 formed with an inwardly extending section 16 which with cover section 17 forms valve chamber 18, and secured to section 17 is a centrally disposed dome like sec tion 19, forming a cover for cleaning chamber 20. Section 2 joins section 19 forming a continuation thereof forwardly and clownwardly to form a seat for mouth pieces 24 and 25. Mouth pieces 24 and 25 are adapted to slide transversely in upper and lower ways or grooves. Arms are .fulcrumed to extensions 36 of cover 17 as at 37. Between the fulcrums 37 and their rear ends, the arms 35 are provided with rollers 40 adapted to travel on the cylindrical or barrel cams 41. Cams 41a're carried by and suitably secured to shaft 8. Cords 135 are attached to springs 136 which are attached to the rear ends of arms 35. Cords 135' run over sheave wheels 137 and carry at their lower ends weights 138. The forward ends of arms 35 are connected to mouth pieces 24 and 25 by tension rods 139 and compression springs 140. Hence as shaft 8 and cams 41 revolve, they move mouth pieces 24 and 25 inwardly toward the center of the machine, and the weights 138 move the said mouth pieces outward giving the mouth pieces a transverse sliding reciprocating motion. The weights 138 and springs 136 tend to pull the mouth pieces apart until they tighten within the mouth of the bag B as shown in Fig; 8. It is obvious that as the lateral movement of said mouth pieces is governed by the size of the mouth of the bag, the same is automatically adaptable in-connection with bags of various widths. Also, when the tension of the bag stops the outward movement of the mouth pieces 24 and 25, the weights 138 do not stop instantly, but stretch the springs 136 and thereby come to a stop gradually. They thus exert an outward pull on the mouth pieces due to their. momentum, in additionto the pull due to their weight,

and as this occurs atthe time of the valve opening, they give a maximum holding effect on the bag at the time when it is most needed.

Leading rearwardly from the valve chamber 18 is a pipe or air conduit 42 to a suction fan 141. The suction of said fan'with respect to said cleaning chamber 20 is governed by valve 43 positioned in said valve chamber 18 mounted on valve shaft 44. Mounted on shaft 7 adjacent to gear wheel 14 is a cam 45 over which is adapted to travel roller 46 rotatably mounted as at 47 in guide arm 48 pivoted on shaft 8 and which is adapted to actuate valve 43 through the instrumentality of link 49 connected to lever 50 keyed to valve shaft 44. As cam 45 releases the roller 46 coil spring 51 attached to frame 2 and to the up- 24 and 25' as shown in Figs. 4 and 7 with sudden force or impact drives it into the machine, which action turns the inner side out. As the valve 43 closes it comes to its seat before roller 46 and guide arm 48 have come to the end of their travel, and during the last portion of which travel they compress the spring 52 attached to link 49 as at 53 and to pin 54, as slot 55 moves thereover. The transverse direction of valve chamber 18 is greater than that ofcleaning chamber 20 as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and the valve 43 is round on its forward edgeas at 56 so that lint or other fibrous material loosened by the air current from the bags will not lodge thereon but be carried on out of the machine. The valve tapers to a point at its opposite edge to allow free passage of the air.

- Mounted in suitable bearings in section 16 of the frame 2 is shaft 57 to which are rigidly keyed the swinging arms '58 between which is adapted to be mounted nip roller 59 secured to shaft 60 mounted in suitablebearings in the free ends of'said' arms so as to permit nip roller 59 to yieldingly contact with main drum when containing some hard substance withv out injury to the bag or to the machine.

The drum 61 is formed with a plurality of circumferentially space-d grooves in which are adapted to be seated feed rings 64 rough on their outer surfaces. A corresponding plurality of fingers 65 are secured to shaft 66 pivotallymountedon shaft 7, and roller 68 mounted on pin .69 in the free end .of arm 67 for contact with cam 7 0 rigidly mounted on shaft 8, and link 71 also pivoted on pin 69 and at 72 to lever 73 keyed or otherwise see cured to shaft 66. The raised and lowered positions of the fingers are clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, respectively, and when low cred each of said fingers is adapted to rest centrally above and nearly touching feed rings 64 as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawing's, also illustrating how the bag B is held against the roughsurfaces of feed rings 64 of revolving drum 61 and fed to nip roll 59, the polished under faces of said fingers 65 offering practically no resistance, A

Pivotally mounted onthe shaft 7 are the depending arms 4 in the lower ends of which are adapted to'be mounted the shaft 75 on which are spaced and rigidly mounted a plurality of roughened or toothed speed control rings 76, one of which is shown in Fig. 6, the said shaft 75-being driven bychain and sprocket from shaft 7 asdiagrammatically shown in Fig. 1.- Extending at right angles from said arms74 pivotally secured thereto as at 77 are rods 78 extending through frame 1 and secured by nuts 79 for the purpose of maintaining the normal position of arms 74 asjshown in Fig. 6'butyieldable by compression Springs 80 mounted on rods 78, the tension of said springs being governed by ad- .justing nuts 81. The speed control rings 7 6 rotate relatively slowly in a direction opposite to the pitch of the teeth 82 for a purpose hereinafter more fully apparent.- Positioned below said-drum 61 and facing speed'control rings 76 is a casing 83,the upper front section extending to the left from a point 84to a point 85, thence upwardly curved around the edge of speed control ring 76 to a point adjacent to drum; 61 forming guide or slide plate. 86 so as to strip the bag from the drum 61 and deliverit to the speed control ring 7 6 r as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The lower front section ofsaid casing 83' is similarly constructed extending upwardly from-a point 87 to 88 and thence downwards 1y to 89 to form. slide plate 90. The casing 83 isprovided witha longitudinal opening 91 andsecured across said opening is asuitable screen as indicated at 92;" See Fig. 11.

VHoused within the casing 83 and securely mounted on shaft 93 extending through the said casing and supported in suitable bear-V ings in frame 1, is a brush 94; of open or squin' rel cage design, the tufts of the brush being adapted to extend within theo'p'eni'nlg91 to contact with the material passing thereover, the said shaft 93 preferably belt driven by pulley 93 secured thereon and from a counter shaft above the machine and source of power not shown. Leading. out of thecasing 83 to. a suction fan (not shown) is a pipe or air conduit opening-95, so that as. the bag slowlytravels over the opening 91 such eX- traneous material adhering thereto as may be dislodged by the'rapidly revolving brush .94 will be drawn through the brush and from pending arms 96 in the lower ends of which are mounted shaft 97 which is driven by chain 97 and sprockets 97 b from shaft 6a's diagrammatically shown in Fig. 6, and car ries securely mounted thereon a plurality of spaced speed control rings 98,- similar to speed control rings 76 heretofore described,

except that they rotate at a lower speed than speed control rings 76. Extending at right angles from said arms 96 pivotally secured thereto as at 99 are rods 100 extending Y through and yieldably secured to frame 1 by adjusting nut 101, nuts 102, and compression spring 103, the latter seating; against frame 1 ,andnuts 102, to permit yieldable movement of arms'96 commensurate with the thickness of material passing between rings 98 and slide 107, which is similar to the operation of the arms 74. i

Facing the toothed speed control rings 98 and in substantially the same horizontal plane is a casing 104 similar to casing 83, having an upper front section secured as at 105 curvedrdownwardly to a point 106. in the same horizontal plane as shaft. 97 and then curved slightly to accommodate the toothed speed control rings 98 and upwardly form- 7 ing the guide orslide plate 107. The lower front section is substantially similar-except being secured as at 108 and is curved upwardly to 109 and downwardlyforming a guide or slide apron 110. Between the points 106 and 109. an opening 111 is formed in casing 104 over which is suitably secured a screen as indicated at 112, said screened opening adapted topermit'contact of thebrush V i with the bag as it'passes thereover, corresponding to 92 and for asimllar purpose.

Housed in casing 104 is a brush 113' similar to brush 94,'mounted on shaft114 ex tending through said casing and suitably supported on frame hbeing preferably belt driven by pulley 114 mounted thereon and from a countershaft above the machine, similar to shaft 93, the'tufts of said brush, 113' projecting slightly beyond opening 111 to contact with the bag or material being cleaned as it travels tliereover. as explained in connection with brush 94. The main body of the casing 104 is identical to casing 83 including an air conduit opening 142 leading therefrom to a suction fan, which for brevity of description is not shown. 7

A plurality of arms 115 are fulcrumed on shaft 116 mounted in suitable bearings in frame 1, one of said arms forming a bell crank lever as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. Bigidl mounted as at 117 in the upper of said arms 115 is brake 117, and a spring (not shown) carries said arms forward causing brake 117 to contact with drum 61. Just above casing 104 is a cam shaft 118 mounted in suitable hearings in frame 1, suitably driven by chain and sprocket from shaft 7 which being well known construction, for brevity of description is not shown, and on which is securely mounted cams 119, 120 and 121. Cam 119 is adapted to contact with lower arm of bell crank lever 115, moving brake 117 away from drum 61. Similarly brake 122 is mounted in the upper ends of arms 123, one of which extends beyond the fulcrum 124 to form an actuating lever. Brake 122 is adapted to contact with slide 86 by means of a suitable spring (not shown), s2 id brake being moved away from slide 86 by cam 120 traveling over lower arm of lever Likewise brake 125 is mounted on the upper ends of arms 126, which are fulcrumed at 127. and one of which arms forms a bell crank lever. Brake 125 is adapted to contact with slide 90 by means of a spring (not shown) and is moved from contact with said slide by means of cam 121engaging the free arm of bell crank 126, as will be more fully hereinafter explained.

Resting on the outer edge of cap plate 30 is. a rotatable spool 131, and pivotally connected to said cap plate 30 by link 133, for the purpose of initially holding the bag by lightl gripping one edge and maintaining the same in position to be engaged by primary holding means 24 and 25, which becoming effective automatically pullthe bag from beneath the spool 131. 3

Operation 7 V ll hile it is thought the operation of the machine is clear from the above. description, nevertheless, it might be well to explain certain details more fully, having in mind that the various associated mechanisms from the mouthpieces 24 and 25 to brush 113 are coordinated to operate in automatic synchonization for efiecting the automatic cleaning of each bag and either turning or not turning the bag to be cleaned, dependent upon whether it is initially fed over both upper and lower lips of the mouth pieces 24 and 25 as shown in Figs. 4, 7 and 8, or over the upper lip only as shown in Figs. 5 and 9, respectively, in either case feeding the upper edgeof the bag initially under spool 131. Assuming the first bag to be cleaned to be an unturned bag with meal or similar material adhering to the inside of the bag, the operator holds it as shown in Fig. 7, putting it over the upper and lower lips of mouthpieces 24 and 25 and feeding the upper edge between spool 131 and the stationary piece of the frame, the weight of the spool being sufficient to hold the bag until the mouthpieces expand, which action automatically disengages and stretches it tightly over the said mouthpiece as shown in Fig. 8. Valve 43 then automatically opens suddenly per,- mitting the suction fan to draw air from the cleaning chamber above the drum, and, with the atmospheric pressure, driving the bag into the machine and at the same time turnin g it inside out, flapping it, and drawing air through the meshes of the bag fabric, and carrying away such extraneous matter as is removed. The air flowing thus into the mouth of the bag and out through the meshes of the bag fabric inflates or balloons the bag; Then the fingers lower almost to the drum and stop there. Thesaid fingers coming down on the ballooned bag press it flat, and simultaneously the air pressure within the bag spreads it laterally and takes out the folds and wrinkles. The valve starts closing while the finge are lowering, and closes tightly against its seat after the fingers are near the drum, this allowing the air pressure within the bag to spread it fiat between the fingers and the drum as just described. Then with the fingers stationary near the drum and the bag between them-,the mouthpieces 24 and 25 collapse to the position shown in Fig, 9. The fingers 65 then move on down against the drum 61, and press the bag against the rough feed rings 64, causingit to be advanced under the nip roll 59, at which time brake 117 is in its retracted position away from drum 61, allowing the bag to fall as shown in Fig. 6.

Supposing'the second bag to besimilar-to the first except longer, being carried into the machine as in the previous instance, the speed of thedrum 61 being such that when the sec- 0nd bag is blown into the cleaning chamher the first bag is not fed entirely out of said chamber but its rear or open end has reached the point of 61, and as the air blast vibrates and flaps the forward end of the second bag it simultanenously sweeps the rear end of the first bag forward, vibrating and flapping it against roll 59, and at the same time the first bag is feeding outof the cleaning chamber 'so that when the fingers 65 press the second bag against feed rings 64 and it starts to feed there is an appreciable distance, as for instance, seven inches, between the rear end of the first and the forward end of the second bag.

Suppose the third bag is a turned bag with extraneous material adhering tothe outside thereof-the operator follows the same procedure identically as in the two previous instances except feeding this bag over the upper lip only of the mouthpiece as shown in Figs. 5 and 9, it hanging down past the'lower lip as will be obvious, and as valve 43 opens the bag is drawn into the machine but with out turning it as shown in 5, it then being actedpon s milar to the bags above described. This bag, if'it is a short one, leaves the bag. The distance is such'thatthey grip the shortest bagbefore its rear end-has passed.

from under the'nip roll 59. Then as the speed control rings 7 6 revolve clockwise the bag falls on down against the rapidly revolvingbrush 94. Brake 117 *thenmoves forward against the bag pressing it lightly against the drum 61. -Brake122 then moves forward against the bagpressing it, lightly against slide 86,.holding onebag while brake 117 has .moved back to admit the following bag, as

clearly shown in'Fig. 6. The weight of the 4 tion of a chamber, suction means, a'connection'fromsaid suction meansto said chamber,

bag, the forward brushing of brush 94, and the friction of the revolving drum 61-, tend to pull the bag down. Thefriction of the brakes tend to hold it back, The speed control rings 76 control its speed, molding it to its properve locity and permitting the brush to rapidly brush its surface. As the forward end of the bag comes to slide 90, brake125 is back allowing the bag to fall down to slowly revolving speed control rings 98 and thence down past rapidly revolvingbrush 113. Brake 125 then moves forward pressing the bag lightly against slide 90, and speed control rings 98 hold the bag to its proper downward velocity and permit the brush 113 to brush it in [similar manner to those above described. The teeth on the feed control rings 7 6 and 98 are in the directionto release the bag and the air suction tends to pullthe bag from them.

Asthe bag passes the speed control rings,

, the suction within the casing pulls it to concave form between the tufts of the brush as itpasses over the opening-in the casing as shown in Fig. 11 at 92and as the brush revolves the tuft throws the bag to a convex form, as shown in Fig. 11 at 111, and as the [same is revolvingra'pidly the moving from concave to convex form givesithe baga very rapid trembling vibratory action, and all eX- traneous matter thus loosened is carried off by air suction.

The speed control rings 76 carry the bag.

we new slav rthan es the um 1 chine.

which causes the bag following to gain on the drum 61, they are only, say, four inches apart astheypass brush'94, and asspeed Control rings 98 run more slowly than speed control rings 7 6, again each bag gains on the bag pa'ss over brush 113 they are only, say, two and one halfinches apart, in which case each brush is brushing an almost continuous line of bags,--and bags are being dischargedin a practically continuous stream. Passing from ahead of it so that as bags of maximum length i the lower brush the bag falls onto a conveyor belt 129 which conveys it from the ma- In practical have found thatthe form of my invention illustrated in the accompany ing drawingsand referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet, realizing the conditionsv concurrent with the adoption of my invention will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize that variousminor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts, maybe resorted to with- 1n the scope of the appended-claims without departing fromor sacrificing any ofthe prin ciples of this invention.

' Having thus described "my invention, what Iclaim is: V 7 I 1; In a bag cleaning machine, the combinaa valve'insaid connection, means adapted to open and closethe said valve at regular time intervals whereby the suction means draws the bags into the said chamber at such regu-' lar. time intervals, means adapted to discharge the bags from the said chamber, a revolving brush adapted to brush the bag as it ,is so dlscharged, and means adapted to move a bag of maximum length over the brush in approximately the said time interval.

2. In a bag cle-aning1nachine,.the combination of achamber, suc-t1on means, a connection from said suction means to sa d chamber,

a valve in said connection, means adapted to open and close the said valve at regular time lntervals whereby the suction means draws the bags into the chamber at such regular means adapted to move a bag of maximum" length over each brushin approximately the said time interval. I

3. In a bag cleaning machine, thecombination of a chamber, suction-means,a connecti n om said uc ensieans-to said h mber,

ios

time intervals, means adapted to discharge a valve in the said connection, expansible releasable means adapted to hold the mouth of the bag as the suction means draws the bot-- tom of the bag into the. said chamber and flaps the bottom of the said bag, a rotatable conveyor in connection with said chamber, means for releasing bags from the holder, yielding means associated with said chamber and said conveyor, means for pressing said bags into contact with the conveyor immediately following its release from the holder to deliver the bottom of said bag to the yielding means, said yielding means adapted to hold the bottom of the said bag as the said suction means pulls and flaps the mouth'of the bag, and the said yielding means adapted to dischargethe bag from the said chamber.

. 4. In a bag cleanin machine including a cleaning chamber, means for'delivering the bags to said chamber, conveyor means for conveying the bags through the machine, a plurality of cleaning units located in the path of travel of the bags, each unit comprising a brush and suction means, a rotatabletoothed means located, on'the opposite side of said path from its respective unit for feeding the bags thereto, each unit adapted to simultaneously brush and draw air through each bag as it passes thereover, and means for delivering the bags from the machine;

5. In a bag cleaning machine including a cleaning chamber and means for delivering the bags thereto, means for conveying the bags through the machine, a plurality of' cleaning units located on alternate opposite sides of the path of the bags, a rotatable toothed member for feeding the bags to each unit'located on the opposite side of the path of the bags from its respective unit, each unit adapted to simultaneously brush and draw air through each bag as it passes thereover, and means for conveying the bags from the machine. 1

6., In a bag cleaning machine comprising a holder for releasably engaging the mouth of abag, a suction means, a cleaning chamber between and connected with the holder and said suction means whereby an air current is drawn through said holder and said chamber to turn the bag simultaneously with being drawn into said chamber, a conveyor extending into said chamber, means for shutting off the air current, means for releasing the bag from the holder, means for pressing said bag into contact with the conveyor immediately following its release from the holder, means for receiving the bags from said conveyor and for conveying the bag to the delivery point of the machine, and a series of cleaning means for operating on the bag during its travel through said machine.

7. In a bag cleaning machine comprising "aholder 'forreleasably engaging the mouth "of a bag, asuction means, a cleaning chamber between and COIlllQCtGChWltll the holder and said suction means whereby an air current is drawn through said holder and said chamber to turn the bag simultaneously with its being drawn into said chamber, means for shutting off the air current, means for efi'ecting disengagement of the bag from the holder, conveyor means extending into said chamber, means normally elevated within the chamber but movable to lowered position to contact the bags effect their conduct through said chamber,

additional means for advancing the bags to said suction means whereby an air current is drawn through said holder and said chamber to turn the bag simultaneously with its being drawn into said chamber, a conveyor extending into said chamber, valve means for shutting off the air current, means for releasing the bag from the holder, contact means within said chamber adapted to be elevated automatically with the opening of said valve and lowered to contact the bag with the conveyor means at predetermined intervals, additional means for advancing the bagto the exit of the machine, and means for subjecting each bag to a series of cleaning operations during its travel through said machine.

9. In a bag cleaning machine comprising a holder for releasably engaging the mouth of a bag, a suction means, a cleaning chamber between and connected with the holder and said suction means whereby an air current is drawn through said holder and said chamber to drawsaid bag into said chamber, a rotatable conveyor extending into said chamber, valve means for shutting off the air current, means for releasing the bag from the holder, means for pressing said bag into contact with the conveyor immediately followingits release from the holder, said valve means, means for releasing the bag from the holder and means for contacting the bag with the conveyorbeing, respectively, operable at predetermined time intervals, means forreceivi'ng the bag from said conveyor and for conveying the bag to the delivery point of the machine, and a series of cleaning means for operating on the bag during its travel through said machine. I

10. In a bag cleaning machine comprising a holder for releasably engaging the mouth of a bag, a suction means, a cleaning chamber between and connected with the holder and said suction means whereby an air current is drawn through said holder and said chamber to draw the bag into said chamber, a rotatable conveyor extending into said chamber, valve means for shutting off the air current, means with said conveyor means to following its release from the holder, said valve means, means for releasing the bag from the holder and contact fingers being predeterminately operable to open and closed positions respectively, additional means for adv-ancing the bag; to the exit of the machine,

'machine. r

' 11'! In a bag cleaningmachmecomprising and'a seriesot' cleaning means for operating durlng ts travel through sa d.

on the bag v a holdertor releasably engaging the mouth of a bag, a suction means, a' cleaning chamber between and connected with the holder and said suction means wherebyan air currentis drawn through said holder and said chamber to turn'the' bag simultaneously with its being drawn into said chamber, a conveyor extending into said chamber, means for shutting oil the air'current, means for releasingthe bag i'rom'the holder, means for pressing said bag into contact with "the conveyor immediately following its release from the holder, and means'coacting with said conveyor means for delivering the bag out of saidchamber, means 7 forreceiving'the bag from saidc'onveyor and for conveying it. to the delivery'point of the machine, and as'eries of'cleani ng means for operating on the bag during its travel through the mach ne. I 12. In a bag cleamngmachme. comprising "an expansible' holder 01 releasably engaging the'mouth of a bag, a suction means,-a cleaning chamber between and connectedwith the holderand said suction means wherebyfan' air current is drawn through said holder and said chamber to turn the bag simultaneously "with {its being drawn into said chamber, a

conveyor extending into said chamber, means for shutting ofi the air current,'means forv releasing the bag from the holder, means for conveying the bags through said chambelh and means associatedwith said chamber and 'coactin'g with said conveyor for, effecting delivery of the bag from said chamber, and

additional means for receiving the bag from i said conveyor and for conveying it to the delivery pointof-the'machine, and a series of cleaning means for operating on the bag "during its travelthrough the machine.

13. In a bag cleaning machine comprising holder for rele'asably engaging the mouth of a bag,,asuction means,'a cleaning chamber between and connected: with the holder and said suction means whereby an air current is drawn through said holder and said chamber to turn the bag simultaneously with its being drawn into said chamber, a rotatable drum extending into said chamber, means for'shuttmg off the air current, means "forieleasing the bag from the holder,- a' pl'uralityoi' contact fingers for contacting the bag with said drum to effect its delivery beyond said chamber, means for receiving the bag subsequent to its removal from the drum and a bag, a suction means, a cleaning chamber between and connected' with the holder and said suction means whereby an air current is drawn through said holder and said chamber to draw the bag into said chamber, a conveyor extending into said chamber, means for shutting off the air current, means for releasing the bag fromthe holder, means. for conveying the bag through and away from said chamber, abrake, a mechanism for actuating the brake, and a cam device coacting with the mechanism to retard the travel of the bag subsequent to its delivery from said cleaning chamber, means for conveying the bag to the delivery point of the machine, and a series 01 a holder for releasably engaging the mouth of cleaning means for operating on the bag' v during its travel through the machine.

15, In a bag cleaningmachine comprising a holder for releasably engagingthe mouth or a bag, ZLfiUCtlQH means, a cleaning" chamacting with said guide means, andmeans for actuating said brake to retard the travel of.

the bag over said guide means as it'is delivered to said cleaning'unit, and means for conveying the bag to the delivery point of the machine.

' 16. In a bag cleaning machine comprising a holder for releasably engaging tne mouth of a bag, a suctionmeans, a cleaning chamber between and connected with the holder and said suction means whereby an air current is drawn through said holder and said chamber to draw the bag into the chamber, a conveyor extending into said chamber, means for shutting oil the air current, means for releasing the bag'from the holder, means for guiding the bag through and away from said chamber,

a cleaning unit comprising a rotatable brush, tooth means coacting with said brush to ef-. fect travel of the bag thereover, guide means to efiect delivery of the bag to said brush, a brake, a'mechanism for actuating the brake,

and a cam device coacti'ng with the brake mechanism to retard travel of the baglovler said guide, and means for conveying the bag to the delivery point of the machine.

17. In a bag cleaning-machine comprising conveyor a holder for releasably engaging the mouth of ing and operating through said opening,

toothed means coacting with the brush for advancing the bag thereover, said means being yieldable to compensate for different thicknesses of material passing between said brush and said toothed means, and a suction means connected with said housing whereby a current of air is drawn through said bag as it passes over said openin and means for conveying the bag to the delivery point of the machine. 7

, 18. In a cleaning machine comprising a holder for releasably engaging the mouth of a ag, a suction means, a cleaning chamber between and connected with the holder and said suction means whereby an air current is drawn through said holder and said chamber to turn the bag simultaneously with its being drawn into said chamber, a conveyor extending into said chamber, means for shutting off the air current, means for releasing the bag from the holder, means for pressing said bag into contact with the conveyor immediately following its release from the holder, means for receiving the bag -from said conveyor and for conveying the bag to the delivery point of the machine, including a series of cleaning units for operating on the bag during its travel through said machine, each of said units comprising a housing having an opening, a rotatable brush within the housing and operating though said opening, toothed means for advancing the bag over said brush, said means being yieldable to compensate for different thicknesses of material passing between said brush and said toothed means, and a suction means connected with said housing of each unit whereby a current of air is drawn through saidbag as it passes over said opening.

19. In a bag cleaning machine comprising a holder for releasably engaging the mouth of a bag, a suction means, a cleaning chamber between and connected with the holder and said suction means whereby an air current is drawn'through said holder and said chamber to draw the bag into the chamber, a extending into said chamber, means for shutting off the air current, means for releasing the bag from the holder, means for conveying the bag through and away it to the delivery point of the machine, in-

cluding a series of cleaning units for operating on the bag duing its travel through said machine, a guide means associated with each unit, a brake, a mechanism forwactuating the brake, and a cam device coacting with the mechanism to retard the travel of the bag over each of said guides,

'20. In a bag cleaning machine comprising a holder for releasably engaging the mouth of a bag, a suctionmeans, a cleaning chamber between and connected with the holder and said suction means whereby an current is drawn through said holder and said chamber to turn the bag simultaneously with its being drawn into said chamber, a conveyor extending into said chamber, means for shutting off the air current, means for'releasing the bag from the holder, meansfor contacting said bag with the conveyor immediately following its release from the holder, means for receiving the bag from said conveyor and for con-' veying it to the delivery point of the machine, including a series of cleaning units for successively.operating-on alternate sides of the bag during its travel through said machine, each of said units comprising a rotatable brush mechanism, a yielding rotatable toothed mechanism. a guide means, a brake means, and means for operating the brake to retard the travel of the bag over each of said guides.

21. In a bag cleaning machine comprising a holder for releasably engaging the mouth of a bag, a suction means, a cleaning chamber between and connected with the holder and said suction means whereby an air current is drawn through said holder and said chamber to turn the bag simultaneously with its being drawn into said chamber, a conveyor extending into said chamber, means for shutting off the air current, means for releasing the bag from" the holder, means for contacting said bag with the conveyor immediately following its release from the holder, means-for conveying the bag to the delivery point of the machine, including a series ofcleaning units for successively operating on alternate sides ofthe bag during bag from the holder, means for contacting the bag with the conveyor and each of the respective brakes being respectively operable at predetermined time intervals.

JOHN w. irirrnnnen 

